Baseball game apparatus



J. W. BAuLl-:Y

Filed June 22, 1932 5 Sheets-sheet 1 c ooooonoooo oo oooooooo March 15, 1938.

BASEBALL GAME APPARATU S March l5, 1938w J. W. BAILEY BASEBALL GAME APPARATUS Filed June 22, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. W. BAILEY BASEBALL GAME APPARATUS March 15, 1938.

Filed June 22, 1952 3 SheeLS-Sheefl 3 Ey f2 Patented Mar. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES BASEBALL GAME APPARATUS Joseph W. Bailey, Louisville, Ky., assigner of onefourth to Andrew E. Miller, Terre Haute, Ind.,

and one-half to County, Ky.

John L.

Milton, J eerson Application June 22, 1932, Serial No. 618,598

16 Claims.

This invention relates to an electro-mechanical manual-automatic baseball game apparatus. The main object of the invention is to provide suitable apparatus by which a baseball game can be simulated with electro-mechanical apparatus organized to be played on an inclined board represent ing a playing field, provided with holes, lanes, runways, sub-runways, and balls to be batted thereover by manually actuated mechanical means together with electro-mechanical equipment to assist in effecting movements of the balls, which after batting and rolling in response to gravity simulate relative plays, positions and progress of the players, which are representative of action observed in a regular ball game.

An object of this device is to provide the operator with apparatus, with which he can actually play a game of baseball in miniature which will develop interest and thrills comparable to a game played by humans in which his personality, skill and being constitute a part thereof.

Another object is to provide a manual-electro mechanical baseball game of a simple structure that will be rugged and entirely free from attention of an attendant or requiring burdensome instruction for its operation. In other words, a baseball game apparatus that with casual inspection will be self-explanatory to anyone having a knowledge of the great national game.

To assist in disclosing this invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings which are incorporated into this specication.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the top surface of the baseball apparatus carried on a table showing the Y ineld and the outeld and a portion of the operating apparatus, part in full lines and part in dotted lines, to present a general understanding of the entire device.

Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the top surface and a substantially parallel sub-surface which cooperates therewith together with part of the major pieces of apparatus. This is shown disposed on an incline with reference to a dot-dash horizontal line' which is included to indicate an understanding of the degree of inclination.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the major mechanical apparatus employed for starting the game and clearing the board at the conclusion of an inning. Enough of this apparatus is shown in full and in dotted lines in Fig. 1 to establish its relation to the entire device.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a separate unit employed to elevate balls to the playing field. Its location on the complete device can be gathered from Figs. l and 2 in which some of the parts are shown.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged scale elevation of a solenoid and its mounting shown in cross-section together with its movable members shown in full lines and its relation to the playing surface by means of a fragmental section of one of the base to base runways located adjacent the diamond.

Fig. 6 shows a switch mechanism on a large scale and the medium for operating same.

Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram of the entire electrical system.

Fig. 8 is substantially a cross-sectional view ci Fig. 1, along line 8, 8.

Fig. 9 is a top view of a portion of Fig. 8 plus some associated parts, with the deck removed.

Fig. 10 is an end View of the slide shown in Fig. 9.

Figs. 8, 9 and l0 disclose a part of the apparatus employed to stop the game when the third out is made.

Figs. 1l and l2 show apparatus employed to accomplish the same function performed by the parts shown in Figs. 8, 9 and l0. Fig. 11 is a plan view and Fig. l2 is a cross-section of Fig. l1, along line [2, l2.

Fig. 13 is a modification of Fig. 5, while Fig. 14 is a top View of same.

Fig. 15 is a schematic drawing of a cam operated switch which is employed when the device shown in Figs. 13, 14 is employed.

The top of the table organized for this baseball game is indicated by numeral it, referred to herein as the top deck, which is disposed at an angle with reference to the horizon and is divided into two principal areas. il indicates the out-delai and l2 indicates the infield mounted on deck l0 in dais formation, i. e. the infield, including the diamond and base to base runways, is actually elevated. The degree of elevation has been selected to prevent played balls from entering the runways except as planned for the normal operation. This elevation also acts as a barrier to lagging balls into the base to base runways, which in the earlier development models had been used to cheat or take advantage of the competitor or proprietor. At substantially the center of the iniield, i3 indicates the pitchers stand and is an opening in which is disposed tube ill, slidably mounted in which is a plunger l5, fashioned with a rack that meshes with a segmental gear it, which in turn is carried on a shaft ll' the fore end of which is journaled in bearing lil mounted on the front of the table and the rear end carried in a journal formed in bracket iii, which is attached to the sub-top or deck lila. Opening ido in tube i4 is so disposed that balls which are to be projected over the playing surface will gravitate toward the operators end and .finally reach said opening, likewise a ball delivered at I3 on the ineld will gravitate toward the bat 2G which is pivoted at 2l in order that the operator may pull knob 22 in direction 01 the arrow and thereby strain spring 23 which upon release will bat or deliver the ball out over the playing surface. The ball may come to rest against the bat or the bat may be released as the ball approaches same. It will be perceived that different points of Contact of the bat with the ball will result in variation in the travel of the batted ball according to the execution of the operator, which will be based on knowledge and acquired skill. Numeral |91) is an arched vertical wall, at the rear of top deck, against which a batted ball can strike and rebound.

Leading from the playing field to the infield are lanes A, B and C, the first one terminates at one corner of diamond I2 and is designated as first base AI. B communicates with the second corner and is designated by BI as second base. C leads to third base and likewise is designated by C| as third base. At each of these bases means are provided for arresting the played ball. Not only the playing field is inclined to cause the ball to roll forward, but each of the lanes is likewise disposed, and likewise the runways D, E and F flanking the diamond are inclined so that a ball coming through any one of the lanes and passing over any or all of the runways D, E and F, will pass into channel 30 where the ball will be arrested where its presence will indicate a run having been made.

3|, 32, 33 and 34 are depressed local areas or sumps so disposed that a ball rolling into any one of them will fall through the apertures indicated by circles therein. Any ball passing through these apertures will pass on to the lower deck in which grooves are formed and indicated by the dotted lines leading therefrom and connecting with channel 35, the presence of a ball in same indicating an out.

A ball passing through aperture 36 will find its way into groove or runway 31 formed in the lower deck |a which follows the dotted lines into channel 30. It will be observed that a ball passes from the top deck into said runway and travels directly into channel 30 without having to stop or pass any of the bases. This corresponds to a home run.

Entrance to lanes A, B and C and the home run aperture is gained only by passing groupings of staggered pins P, which are so organized as to retard the progress of a played ball to permit a formerly played ball to advance from base to base in response to the releasing treadle 4| and also to make the game difficult and to call for Skill to place a ball at these entrances.

As a played ball passes through any of these lanes or through runway 31, it passes over one or more of the treadles 4| which are located in the decks by pin 42, Fig. 6, which carries another locating pin 43, this treadle is constructed so that it will be responsive to the weight of the ball and effects a contact between exible strips 44, 45, which serve as springs to restore the treadle after the ball has passed and thereby energizes a portion of the electric circuit shown in Fig. 7, each of these switches being indicated in the figures by the numeral 6, except one of these switches which is indicated by 6a, this one being provided with an extra leaf and contact 6b to operate an electric bell. One switch is found in lane A, two in lane B, three in lane C, and three in runway 31. Current is supplied to the circuit through connector 46 and wires CX, DX. As any one of the contacts 6, 6a is closed an impulse of current is sent to all of the solenoids indicated by the numeral 5, one being located at each base.

With reference to Fig. 5, it will be observed that the plunger 41 will be pulled down at each excitation of solenoid 48| against spring 48. Connected to this plunger is a pin 49 which extends through both decks. A plunger is found in Fig. 1 at each one of the bases AI, B| and CI. The presence of this pin above the surface is so located in the groove of the runway that a ball will be lodged at and by same, however with its removal, which takes place with excitation of the solenoid, the lodged ball is freed thereby permitted to roll down the associated incline runway and will be lodged at the next base as pins 49 have been restored by springs 48. It is to be understood that all of these pins 49 are simultaneously actuated and each is organized to stop balls and permit them to pass in accordance with the operations of switches 6. A ball passing through lane A effects one movement of pins 49, through lane B two movements, through lane C and runway 31, three movements.

Balls failing to enter the lanes or the apertures, referred to heretofore, will gravitate over the surface of the outeld in areas adjacent apertures 5i, which are closed by slides 52, 53 disposed between the decks and are operable by cranks 54, 55 xed on to shaft 56, (Fig. 3) which is rotatively mounted in bearings of brackets 51, 58 attached to the lower deck. Similarly actuated by 56 is slide 59, which is connected therewith by bar 9|, shown in dotted lines on Fig. 1. This slide closes aperture 60 and prevents the balls indicating runs from passing olf the deck lila. Arm 6| also fixed to shaft 56 is connected by link 62 to arm 63 which is rotated about pivot 64, when actuated slide 65 engages the end of arm 63. Extension 66 of slide 65 has linked to it a lever for operating a switch 61 which functions as a master to energize the solenoids 48| and thereby free balls from the bases when starting a game. The actuation of the switch is simultaneous upon depositing a coin in hole 65a. The switch shown is connected into the electric circuit as shown in Fig. 7.

Also pivotally connected to 66 is rack 61a, the teeth of which are in register with teeth of pinion 68, connected on shaft 69 in such a manner that when the slide 65 travels in the direction of the arrow, it will slip over them, but will engage and be in mesh with said teeth on return stroke, the return stroke is effected by spring 10. On shaft 69 is fixed gear 1| which meshes with pinion 12 fixed to companion escapement gear 13, which actuates verge 14 to eifect a time element for the purpose of holding switch 61 in engagement, which in turn holds all of the pins I9 down for a suflicient period of time to permit the balls to roll to a storage runway 80, simultaneously slides 52, 53 and 59 open their associated apertures and the balls from these areas are likewise led to runway 80.

Fixed to shaft 56 is arm 90, to which is articulated rod 9|, the other end of which is articulated to slide 92, 92a, built in two sections and connected by spring controlled hinge 93. Both members of this slide are normally disposed in the same plane and the 92a section located so as to close orice 35, Fig. 1, for the purpose of retaining played balls falling into the out classification on deck |0a until three balls are assembled. The third one of these being employed to actuate means resulting in operating means to block or stop the apparatus from being played until slide 35 and its associated parts are again operated. Should there be only one or two balls in orifice at the conclusion of an inning, determined by all allotted balls having been played, when slide 92, 92a is operated in unison with the parts affected by slide B5 for starting the game, they will drop into sub-runway 95 for recirculation. Fixed on shaft I1, cam Hb is disposed to swing lever llc pivoted at Hd, the free end of which engages and oscillates slide 96 mounted in sub-deck lila and is positioned by compression spring el' as indicated. This slide is equipped with a dog or detent 98, adjusted so as to clear lug se attached to 92a as it is moved forward by llc, as indicated by the arrow, provided there only one or two balls, 99a, 99h present in oriiice 35, however when the third ball 59C is present, detent Q8 engages the spherical contour below the equator and is directed or carried downwardly, and the point engages lug S9 and rotates it on pivot 98a, and with further movement causes 92a to swing downwardly on hinge 93, thereby permitting all of the balls to discharge into sub-runway 95. Ball 99C following the syl,m tern of runways is caused to drop in trough i6@ pivoted at lill, said trough having been balanced by counterweight U32 and located by stop IES so that the weight of one ball will cause trough to rock to the position shown in 2 and thereby stop the other balls from entering opening Ella of ball feeding device shown in Fig. 4. Balls leb and 99d` follow 99C. Counterweight arm is so related to the trough that upon operation of shaft 56 by slide 65, that it Will inversely swing it on pivot le! and discharge the out balls into runway 8G, thereby permitting the trough to respond to its counterweight and seek its normal rest position against stop H33. This position is up so that balls can enter tube I4 vla opening Ma.

In the alternative method of stopping the game by the third out, ball as shown in Figs. l1 and l2, i535 indicates a runway H35 with bifurcated termini IBG, I'l, each having an aperture. Iii closed by slide Sia While l! leads directly to sub-runway Q5. The contour of runway lili: such that the iirst two balls will lodge in llii while the third one will Contact the second one be diverted into lill from which it will pass on to trough lil@ and stop the game as explained supra.

The modication showing Figs. I3 and lll, the plunger [il of Fig. 5 is located at the bottom of the windings indicated by the dotted lines in orn der that pin will be forced up instead of pulled down when the winding is energized. Attached to @il is a section of the cylinder @ila diagonally truncated to conform to the contour of the associated runway, and loosely registers with hole forms a of a runway as indicated. Stops ille are provided to arrest the ball until ti winding is excited, when the ball will be elevated or forced over said stops and allowed to proceed along the incline. In clearing the runways of balls lodged at the bases it is necessary to repeatedly operate plungers til, consequently l iill, Fig. l5, iixed on shaft Sil (not shown in irig, 3) will repeatedly close and open contacts carried in leaf springs H0 and lli which in turn will energize the solenoids. ther methods can empio ed to automatically cause the necesr electrical impulses to be transmitted to the e olds.

'/iany mcdications, alterations and combinacan be indulged without departing from the ha: Nh

spirit of my invention, therefore I wish to be limited only by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A baseball game apparatus including balls and means for batting same and an inclined playing eld consisting of an outield and an infield elevated above the outfield, said infield including a pitchers box and bases in diamond formation said bases being serially connected by runways.

2. A baseball game apparatus including balls and means for batting same and an inclined playing field consisting of an outeld and an ineld elevated above the outfield, said ineld including a pitchers box and bases in diamond formation said bases being serially connected by runways, means for introducing balls at said pitchers box, inclined means to advance said ball toward said batting means.

3. A baseball carne apparatus including balls and means for batting same and an inclined playing held consisting of an outfield and an infield elevated above the outiield, said infield including a pitchers box and bases in diamond formation said bases being serially connected by runways, means for introducing balls at said pitchers box, inclined means to advance said ball toward said batting means, in combination with three lanes extending from said outfield to the ineld.

4. A baseball game apparatus including balls and means for batting same and an inclined playing eld consisting of an outeld and an infield elevated above the outfield, said infield including a pitchers and bases in diamond formation said bases being serially connected by runways, means for introducing balls at said pitchers box, inclined means to advance said ball toward batting means, means associated with the ist, 2nd and 3rd bases for arresting a ball, in combination with three tortuous lanes extendne from said outfield to the infield said lanes. being equipped with means to retard the normal movement of a played ball in order that the ball lodged at one of the bases can be released and advanced without interference from said played ball.

5. A baseball game apparatus including balls and means for batting same and an inclined playing eld consisting of an outfield and an ineld elevated above the outeld, said infield including a pitchers box and bases in formation said bases being serially connected by runways, means for introducing balls at said pitchers box, inclined means to advance said ball toward batting means, in combination with three lanes extending from said outfield to the infield, each leading to one of the bases to lead played balls to said bases.

6. A baseball gaine apparatus including balls and means for batting and an inclin d playing field consisting an outfield and a dl is fashioned with a pitchers box and bases in diamond formation which establishes an infield, means for introducing balls at said pitchers box, inclined means to advance said ball toward said batting means means to lodge played balls at each of the bases, in combination with three lanes ext-ending from said outfield to infield, each leaf" g to one of the to lead pli d balls to s bases, means disposed in each of said lanes responsive to a played ball to actuate other ineens to advance lodged balls.

'7. A baseball game apparatus including balls and means for batting same and an inclined playing field consisting of an outfield and a dais fashioned with a pitchers box and bases in diamond formation which establishes an infield, means for introducing balls at said pitchers box, inclined means to advance said ball toward said batting means and means to lodge played balls each of the biases, in combination with three lanes extending from said outfield to the infield, each leading to one of the bases to lead played balls to said bases, a plurality of means disposed adjacent each of said lanes to retard the otherwise normal movement of a ball passing therethrough, other means disposed in said lanes responsive to said ball to actuate other means to advance lodged balls.

8. A baseball game apparatus including balls and means for batting same and an inclined playing field consisting of an outfield and infield having a base at each corner thereof, with inclined runways connecting said bases which are organized to stop played balls arriving thereat through lanes disposed in said outfield and leading to said bases, played balls receiving orifices in said outfield, sub-runways in communication with all of said orifices, means disposed in said lanes and in one of said sub-runways operable by a played ball gravitating thereon in combination with other means to force any ball lodged at any base to advance towards the base next in order to be occupied.

9. In a baseball game apparatus including balls and means for batting same and a pair of substantially parallel surfaces, the top one being an inclined playing field consisting of an outfield and an infield having bases thereon equipped with means to stop played balls at said bases, lanes extending through said outfield and communieating with each base and ball receiving orifices in said outfield, runways in the lower surface and disposed in communication with all of said orifices, means disposed in said lanes operable by a played ball gravitating thereon to actuate other means to advance any ball lodged at any base towards the base next in order to be occupied.

10. A baseball game apparatus including balls and means for batting same and a pair of substantially parallel surfaces, one of same being an inclined playing field consisting of an outfield and an infield having bases thereon equipped with means to stop played balls at said bases, lanes extending through said outfield and each communicating with a base, ball receiving orifices in said outfield, runways in the other surface and disposed in communication with all of said orifices, means disposed in said lanes and one of said runways operable by a played ball gravitating thereon in combination with other means to force any previously played ball lodged at any base away from same.

11. In a baseball game apparatus including balls and means for batting same, and a pair of substantially parallel surfaces, the top one being an inclined playing field consisting of an outfield and an infield having bases thereon, the latter being equipped with means to stop played balls thereat, runways extending through said outfield and communicating with each base and ball receiving orifices in said outfield, runways in the lower surface in communication with all of said orifices, means disposed in the runways of the top surface orable by a played ball gravitating thereon to force any ball lodged at any base to advance towards the base next in order to be occupied.

12. A baseball game apparatus including balls and means for batting same and an inclined playing field consisting of an outfield and an infield in diamond formation having bases at each corner and inclined runways connecting said bases and lanes leading from the outfield to said bases, each of said bases being equipped with immovable means for detaining a played ball and movable means for forcing said played balls past each of said immovable means, the incline of said inclined runways being a continuation of said inclined field and said lanes.

13. A baseball game apparatus including balls and means for batting same and an inclined playing field consisting of an outfield and an infield in diamond formation having bases at each corner and inclined runways connecting said bases and tortuous lanes leading from the outfield to said bases, each of said bases being equipped with immovable means for detaining a played ball and movable means for forcing said played ball past each of said immovable means, said lanes being equipped with means responsive to a played ball to actuate other means to actuate said movable means, the incline of said inclined runways being a continuation of said inclined field and said lanes.

14. A baseball game apparatus including balls and means for batting same and an inclined playing field consisting of an outfield and an infield in diamond formation having bases at each corner and inclined runways connecting said bases and tortuous lanes leading from the outfield to said bases, each of said bases being equipped with im'- movable means for detaining a played ball and movable means for forcing said played ball past each of said immovable means, said lanes being equipped with means responsive to a played ball to actuate other means to actuate said movable means, said inclined runways being a continuation of said inclined field; ball receiving orifices in said outfield, sub-runways in communication with all of said orifices, a plurality of means disposed in one of said runways operable by a played ball gravitating thereon to actuate said movable means.

15. A baseball game apparatus including balls a playing field and means for batting said balls onto said playing field which is provided with bases and runways and means for putting said balls into play, means for arresting at the bases and means for advancing said played balls on said playing field, to simulate players of a baseball game in which humans function, including a compartment in which out indicating balls are lodged, means operable by the third ball of a. series of three balls diverted into said compartment, to prevent operation of said baseball game.

16. In a game apparatus, the combination of: an inclined playing board having a ball exit opening formed therein in the upper portion thereof;

said playing board having a ball seat or pocket between said exit opening and the lower end thereof; means for propelling balls one at a time onto the upper portion of said playing board so that they may gravitate thereover into said ball exit opening or into said ball seat; and means including an electromagnetic device actuated by a ball passing through said exit opening to dis-l lodge a ball from said ball seat.

JOSEPH W. BAILEY. 

